ZINC ALLOYS AS TEMPORARY BIOMEDICAL IMPLANTS: A REVIEW

Absorbable metals, designed for temporary biomedical implants, degrade in physiological environments, with three primary families being magnesium, iron, and zinc alloys. Magnesium degrades rapidly, often losing structural integrity before bone healing completes, whereas iron degrades very slowly, maintaining excellent mechanical properties but with prolonged persistence in the body. Zinc, emerging as a promising biodegradable metal, offers an intermediate degradation rate and good biocompatibility. However, pure zinc has limitations like low strength, poor hardness, and limited plasticity, making it unsuitable for direct clinical use. Additionally, zinc’s low melting point (419.5 °C) raises concerns about creep resistance, susceptibility to aging, and recrystallization, potentially causing device failures during storage and use. This research explores strategies to improve zinc’s properties, focusing on alloying for enhanced strength and surface modification to improve biocompatibility, blood compatibility, and corrosion resistance. Future studies should aim to develop zinc alloys with optimal mechanical properties and predictable degradation suitable for medical applications